Borac and Levski open the European summer in one of the most attractive ties of the Champions League first qualifying round
FK Borac Banja Luka and PFC Levski Sofia will play in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League for the 2026/27 season, as decided by the draw held on 16 June 2026 in Nyon. According to UEFA's announcement, 28 clubs are taking part in the first qualifying round, and among the ties that stand out for regional interest is the clash between the champions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the champions of Bulgaria. The first leg is scheduled for 7 or 8 July in Banja Luka, while the return leg is due to be played on 14 or 15 July in Sofia. The exact dates and kick-off times, according to club announcements after the draw, will be confirmed later.
The duel between Borac and Levski carries a strong competitive and fan-driven charge because two clubs with a pronounced domestic identity, high expectations and a clear ambition to extend their European season at least until the end of the summer are meeting in the early stage of qualifying. Borac enter the encounter as the current champions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, after a season in which they secured the title early and continued their run of appearances in European qualifiers. Levski, on the other hand, according to the official announcement by the Sofia club, won the Bulgarian championship title for the first time in 17 years, ending a long period of waiting and further increasing the pressure ahead of their return to the Champions League qualifiers.
The draw brought together two champions and announced a demanding two-legged tie
UEFA announced that the first legs of the first qualifying round are scheduled for 7 and 8 July, with the return legs on 14 and 15 July 2026. The same statement said that there were 14 seeded and 14 unseeded teams in the draw, confirming that this is the opening, but already very important, step of the qualifying path. Borac were drawn as hosts of the first leg, so the atmosphere at the City Stadium in Banja Luka could be one of the important factors in the first encounter. Levski will play the return leg in Sofia, where, given the status of the new Bulgarian champions and a strong fan base, great interest in the match is expected.
Levski's official website stated that this will be the first European meeting between these two clubs. That circumstance further increases the uncertainty, because there is no direct history of head-to-head matches that could offer clear competitive patterns. In qualifying encounters of this kind, details often decide the outcome: the condition of the squad after preparations, the rhythm of entering the season, experience in European matches, set pieces and the ability to control emotions in front of full stands. Since the two-legged tie is played before the start of most national leagues, the question of physical readiness and cohesion will carry almost the same weight as the quality of individual players.
Borac, in their official club announcement after the draw, assessed that a very difficult task awaits them. Coach Vinko Marinović, according to the club, stressed that there are no easy opponents in the Champions League qualifiers and that Borac must be ready for two demanding matches. Captain Srđan Grahovac also, according to the same announcement, emphasized the need for good preparation and a healthy squad, while assessing Levski as one of the toughest possible opponents at this stage. Such statements show that in Banja Luka the opponent is being welcomed with respect, but also with the belief that progression is achievable.
Borac enter the duel after a domestic title and growing European experience
Borac, according to the club's official announcement, secured the title of champions of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 2025/26 season with a 1:0 victory against Sarajevo at the Koševo Stadium, four rounds before the end of the championship. The club stated that the goal that confirmed the title was scored by Luka Juričić from the penalty spot in the 35th minute. It was Borac's fourth title as champions of Bosnia and Herzegovina in their history, and it was particularly emphasized that it came in the year in which the club is marking the centenary of its existence. Such a domestic finish to the season created a good foundation for European qualifiers, although the early stage of the competition does not allow a long period of adjustment.
The Banja Luka club have significantly raised their European profile in recent years. Levski, in their own preview of the duel, recalled that Borac reached the round of 16 of the UEFA Conference League in the 2024/25 season, which is an important fact for assessing the seriousness of the opponent. That result shows that Borac are no longer only the champions of a national championship relying on their home ground, but a team that has already gained experience of playing high-pressure matches in UEFA competitions. For clubs from leagues outside Europe's strongest markets, such experience is often decisive, because qualifiers bring a different rhythm, travel and tactical demands from the domestic championship.
Additional context is provided by the fact that Borac play the first leg at home. In qualifiers decided over 180 minutes, home ground in the first encounter can be an advantage, but also an obligation. A positive result in Banja Luka would create room for a more cautious approach in Sofia, while failure in front of their own supporters would significantly increase the pressure in the return leg. For that reason, the first duel will probably be marked by caution, but also by Borac's effort to use the energy of the stadium and impose intensity before the tie moves to Bulgaria.
Levski return with great confidence after ending a long wait
Levski Sofia enter the qualifiers as champions of Bulgaria, after a season the club described as historic. According to Levski's official announcement of 2 May 2026, the team became unreachable at the top of the Bulgarian First League four rounds before the end with a 1:0 victory against CSKA 1948 at the Georgi Asparuhov Stadium. The club emphasized that this was their first title after a 17-year wait, and the winning goal was scored by Marko Dugandžić in the 71st minute. That fact gives the duel with Borac additional weight because Levski enter the European season with euphoria, but also with great expectation that they will confirm the domestic title with a serious European performance.
The Bulgarian club has a reputation in the regional football space as a major name with a large fan base and high standards. After winning the title, the European qualifiers become the next measure of the team's real strength. In the early stage of the Champions League, clubs are often still looking for optimal form, but teams under great pressure from their surroundings do not have much room to gradually raise their rhythm. Levski will have to play responsibly enough in Banja Luka to avoid a poor start, while in Sofia they will have the obligation to justify the role of the club that has just taken the top of Bulgarian football.
Levski also pointed out in their preview of the duel with Borac that the exact match schedule will be determined later, which means that logistical details, ticket sales and television slots will depend on UEFA's final confirmation. Still, it is already clear that the encounter will attract great interest in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria and the wider region. The proximity of the two football markets, the status of the clubs and the fact that the Champions League is being played create circumstances in which the first qualifying round receives far more attention than usual. This does not mean that it is a match from the elite stage of the competition, but in the context of the start of the season this tie has all the elements of a major qualifying duel.
The winner awaits Vitebsk or Universitatea Craiova
The draw for the second qualifying round, held on 17 June 2026, further clarified the path awaiting the better side from the Borac and Levski duel. According to UEFA, the winner of this tie will play in the second qualifying round against the better side from the encounter between ML Vitebsk of Belarus and Universitatea Craiova of Romania. The first legs of the second qualifying round are scheduled for 21 and 22 July, with the return legs on 28 and 29 July. This means that even before the start of the first qualifying round it is already known that progression does not bring an easier continuation, but a new two-legged tie against opponents from different football environments and with their own ambitions.
Such a schedule especially highlights the importance of good squad management. The club that gets through the first qualifying round will have very little time for rest, analysis and preparation for the next opponent. That is a common challenge of summer qualifiers, in which a season can turn within the space of a few weeks. The winner of the Borac – Levski two-legged tie remains in the race for the Champions League, while defeat at the first hurdle already changes the European route and brings a different competitive framework. In sporting and financial terms, each next round means greater visibility, additional matches and the possibility of building an important coefficient.
UEFA stated in its overview of the 2026/27 season that 29 clubs qualify directly for the league phase of the Champions League, while the remaining seven places are filled through qualifying and the play-offs. All qualifying ties are played over two legs. For clubs such as Borac and Levski, this means that the road toward the main phase is very long, but also that every qualifying victory has multiple value. In addition to competitive prestige, it brings a stronger status in the European calendar, greater fan interest and a better position in negotiations over sporting and commercial plans.
The first leg could set the tone for the entire tie
The match in Banja Luka will be the first test for both teams after their domestic successes. Borac will try to make use of familiar ground and the support of the stands, while Levski will try to avoid a scenario in which they return to Sofia with a serious deficit. In such duels, the first goal often changes the plans of both coaches. If the home side take an early lead, the pressure shifts to the visitors and space opens for additional energy from the stands. If the visitors manage to calm the match and secure a positive result, the return leg in front of their own crowd can take on a completely different character.
For Borac it is important to turn European experience into discipline. In recent seasons the club have shown that they can play firm and results-demanding matches, but Levski bring a different type of challenge from many opponents in the opening rounds. This is the champion of Bulgaria, a club aware of the magnitude of the moment and one that will try to show that the title was not an isolated domestic success. On the other hand, for Levski the trip to Banja Luka is not only a technical task, but also a test of mental stability after a season marked by great emotional release.
The two-legged tie will therefore probably attract attention beyond the narrow circles of the two clubs' supporters. It is a meeting that combines sporting stakes, regional proximity and comeback stories for both opponents: Borac want to confirm their growth on the European stage, while Levski, after a long-awaited title, want to open a new chapter in UEFA competitions as well. The first qualifying round of the Champions League is often unpredictable precisely because it is played during the preparation period, when teams have not yet reached their competitive maximum. In such an environment, the advantage will not belong only to the team that is better on paper, but to the one that more quickly finds rhythm, composure and concreteness in front of goal.
Sources:
- UEFA – official draw for the first qualifying round of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League and schedule of the first matches (link)
- UEFA – official draw for the second qualifying round of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League and potential opponents of the winner of the Borac – Levski tie (link)
- UEFA – overview of the format, dates and qualifying system of the 2026/27 Champions League (link)
- FK Borac Banja Luka – official announcement on the two-legged tie with Levski and reactions after the draw (link)
- FK Borac Banja Luka – official announcement on winning the title of champions of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 2025/26 season (link)
- PFC Levski Sofia – official announcement on the duel with Borac in the first qualifying round of the Champions League (link)
- PFC Levski Sofia – official announcement on winning the title of champions of Bulgaria in the 2025/26 season (link)